that is the amount of food that would have brought enough corn to wipe out the food shortfall. the threats that missiles pose the united states. tonight the story struck a chord with us. anderson starts now. >> good evening. we begin tonight with the looming fiscal cliff.

>> tonight, there are signs that maybe, some responsible adult became may prevail. joining me now, what is the latest what are you hearing? >> they are a long way from a deal. they did speak to each other on the phone. this is the first time they talked in a week. i'm told though, that there is no real progress in the negotiations. as you know, president obama insi insists there is no deal to present on the top 2% of earners.

>> it doesn't involve the rates going up on the top 2%. all of those americans too get a tax cut on that finramework. in some sense it is a tax cut for all americans. >> bottom line, we are talking today but we are still at stalemate. a phone call is big news between these two. >> we are hearing about senate republicans, what are you hearing, how significant is it. it is significant for a couple

of reasons. these three republicans in different ways suggested that they would be okay with what most republicans are saying that they are not okay with. raising tax rates for the wealthy. he is the most conservative not just fiscally. the way these things tend to go, is that there is a little bit of a crack and that tends to send the other cracks into what is now a solid opposition and we will see how that goes. we are talking about senate republicans and the key thing that we have to watch is house republicans. if something can't get through the house, then it can't get through congress.

>> david, what do you make of this situation? do you you think we are closer to a deal? listen, the political theater suggests we are a long, long way from there. when democrats say we are willing to go over the cliff, you have to think wow, this isn't going to happen. john boehner has said we are putting the $800 billion on the table but we are going to aim it at the rich. yesterday the president offered the outlines of a deal that might work with the republicans.

and that is raise the rates now and engage in the conversations next year on tax deductions and loop holes. and that is called base broadening. and that has been attached to lowering the rates. so what the president is saying, there is a way that we could raise the rates, we could lower them back down again next year. do you think they are over playing their hand here? i think that there are people around the president who are more interested or have a strong interest in using this as a way to humiliate republicans and pushing them to the brink. we'll have to wait and see how it plays out.

there is a danger in second term of excessive pride. let's see this play out more. i believe they have enough to go into privategotiationnegotiatio. he is the leader of the people. they need to get off of that and sit down and get something worked out. i guess they feel they were burned before and they are trying a different strategy. >> you remember the president was accused of putting his position on the table first of selling out democrats of negotiating against himself and he is doing the opposite this time doing what he was criticized for not doing last

time. and they are asking if they are engaging in overreach. one of the reasons they say they are not negotiating on the issues. they say it is because everything else is easy. they have gone through this during the talk discussions. it can be done quickly. tax rates, they say if the republicans break on that, then everything else gets done quickly. the republicans see it differently. the white house came out today saying point blank, they do want a two step process for tax reform and raise the rates to the clinton levels now and let next year be a time for negotiating rates for the feature and then maybe everyone can lower the rates at that

time. it does seem like there is a lot of that going on. >> i think that the difference between what we are seeing now and in the past like this is you have the public posturing and by all accounts that is not happening right now. the fact that it is news, the president and the speciaker is amazing and it speaks to the conversations going on behind the scenes.

democrats were saying for months and months, they realize that they have the leverage because at the end of the day, old tax rates are going to go up. they believe that republicans were going to say that they understand that they are losing the message war on this. he made a point to say it is not that they are not for raising tax rates on the wealthy. >> i spoke with george mitchell last night and i was about to say, in talking to them, it is like talking to adults, they are talking to people five or six years ago they had meetings with each other and knew each other and kind of disappear to opposite corners and fly away to home districts.

it is amazing to me how much things have changed in the last couple of years. and i think there is a lot of blame. there was a sense in the senate, but even in the house that the purpose of being there was to make progress for the country. and yes you made your arguments loud and clear. but at the end of the day you sat it out.

all this week, we have been focusing on what it is about this administration that makes it seem like compromise seems like a dirty word. we have been talking with past leaders who sat down at the tab table. listen to him. senator mitchell who we spoke with yesterday on the program, you said one solution was for congress to start holding routine committee hearings, i think most americans would be surprised to hear that, that is

their job. most of us would assume isn't that their job description, they have slowly slipped away from that. the senate hasn't passed a budget resolution. they don't do the bills before the end of the fiscal year. they haven't had a traditional conference in a year. >> that sounds crazy to me. it does to me too. it is one of the simple things that they can do and i think if they would go back to the old way of getting things done, it would be good. >> here we are at the edge of a fiscal cliff and congress is taking three day weekends and planning on a holiday break. >> i did an interview last night

and he asked me if you could recommend one thing what would it be? and my recommendation would be, quit campaigning and having press conferences and sit down at a round table and talk about a deal. it was tough then too. we got a done. we quit running around and talking at each other and sat down and talked with each other. >> washington lost it's love of the deal. that compromise dosn't seem like that is happening at all. >> i was a conservative republican and i had strong believes about things that we should or should not do.

when you are dealing with 100 united states senators you are not going to get it the way that you want it. the leaders in the congress have to step up. it is kind of dangerous, because the extremes in both parties, they are looking for a win on their point of view. but you have to be prepared to give some and prepared to push to get something done. if you do that, if you make up your mind i'm going to get this done. you will. >> you spoke to senator dash el. >> sometimes there are staff people, i had a red phone. it rang on his desk. i knew i was talking to him. not his staff or my staff. i remember one time i called him and stepped down and said tom,

you know i need to do this. you got to do that every now and then. it is called leadership. >> what for you was the moment that this changed? democrats point to the tea party and say on the right that is it. and republicans say on the left there are extremes as well. >> i was accused of being a dealmaker. i didn't know those were dirty words. it has been an evolutionary thing. >> tom daschle says the biggest problem is the airplane. >> they don't bring the families

up here anymore. so we spent time together and knew each other and spent time together. members run away for now. 24/7 news you make a mistake in this city and you are toast for days. and so, it is all of the above. but it can change. anderson, once people make up their mind we are going to start doing things differently. we are going to go back and do some of the thing that is worked. i wouldn't sell yourself short. it is good to have people there

who know how to get things done. it is good to talk to you. >> appreciate it. >> what do you think about this. i'm tweeting about this tonight. and a startling report from nbc tonight. that is the concern from u.s. officials. we will talk it over with fran townsend next.

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forces are awaiting final order to use loaded missiles against syria's own people. this video which has been posted line, this is a sobering development, seems to be getting worse by the day. barbara starr joins me now. on the phone, cnn contributor barbara townsend. how much would this development change the situation? right now, if this turns out to be true, the u.s. military, the cia in a full blown effort to collect the intelligence and

develop a targeting strategy, they have to put together targeting options for the president. that involves the latest intell jengs. what would you do to attack them? do you know where they are? how will you get that past syrian air defenses? there is a lot we know, there is growing concern by the hour in the region. because, if the syrians use these kinds of weapons on their own people, catastrophic. but the plume clouds can cross borders. terrorists can get ahold of this

material. and it just doesn't get more serious than this. >> bob, you have been looking to how catastrophic these weapons can be. >> anderson, look at it this way. a 122 mm artillery round landing in the city will kill 18 to 20,000 people. >> one round? >> one round. you could take out a city a third of the city in the first couple of hours. this is a highly toxic liquid. it is a persistent a gent and completely deadly. if in fact they mixed the agent, it doesn't do you good to bomb these sites. if they are sitting in cities or

near cities, it will have the same amount of damage. if you take the rounds and put it on the arartillery, you can fire it into anywhere that you want. there are all sorts of disaster situations. they are remote, but still a possibility. >> we don't want to speculate too much. this is an nbc report. we haven't been able to confirm it. fran, what kind of planning goes on with a plan like this? and to dobbob's point, if you strike the targets from the air, it doesn't help. senior military officers have

confirmed to me, what they have told us months ago. planning for how do you secure what may be as many as four dozen chemical weapon sites? what does that take? and what about the neighbors and what will they contribute. there has been a good deal of military training and coordination over the last six to 12 months for this. that is all in preparation for what barbara and bob are telling us now. now you have to understand given the current intelligence. to understand now how do you take those plans that have been working and address the threat and that is the challenge. and you get it. the president's military advisers along with staff are working to present the options.

i think back to the political science classes in college. assuming that he is a rational actor and even if he thinks he may lose and need a place to go like russia and live in exile somewhere. it would not make sense for him to use these weapons would it? >> we have to look at the generals around him. he is not alone in this. there are a group of generals and they are from his own promotion. they are not being offered a way out. you know, and the way that they look at it. i have spent a lot of time with these people. they are a cult. they think their survival is at stake. even if the united states is to enter. that would be a better option

for them than to losing to the rebels who they consider terrorists and their chances are dimming by the day and they are the closed mentalities. and to bob's earlier point, if the chemicals are mixed and loaded into delivery devices that is a concern. there are groups on the ground and if the control over the weapons is lost who knows where they could end up. what is the u.s. military posture in the region in terms of the ability for the u.s. to project power in them? >> the u.s. has an aircraft carrier in the red sea. they could move north and there are aircraft throughout the

region. fighters and bombers and aircraft carriers in the sea on station. all of these things could be brought to bear. but i think what the u.s. is hoping is that rapidly somehow they can mobilize support to get assaad to back away from this. but bob's point is absolutely key. if he goes into asylum tomorrow the crisis would not end. the day after assaad leaves this problem perhaps problems even more dire. >> it is sobering stuff. >> the power of one shell in a city like holmes. bob, i appreciate you being on. >> fran will continue to follow it as well. >> up next, they managed to find time to vote on a treaty that

would have protect ee eed disab people around the world. 38 senators blocked it with their votes. americans believe they should be in charge of their own future. how they'll live tomorrow. for more than 116 years, ameriprise financial has worked for their clients' futures. helping millions of americans retire on their terms. when they want. where they want. doing what they want. ameriprise. the strength of a leader in retirement planning. the heart of 10,000 advisors working with you one-to-one. together for your future. ♪

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our focus tonight is reporting. yesterday the senate blocked a treaty aimed at preventing the

rights of people with disabil y disabilities around the world. >> not even a rare visit by former republican senator bob dole made it. he came to the chamber to show his support for the treaty. he led the charge against the treaty. he warned that it would jeopardize personal sovereignty and freedoms. there is a provision in this law which we would be adopting if the senate ratifies this. which puts the state in the division of the child. ji cannot support the treaty to raise their children with the constant threat of state

interference. >> the treaty could interfere for parents to decide what action is in the best interest of their children. >> that is not true. but it doesn't and i repeat does not require any changes to existing state and federal laws. dick thornburg testified saying that the treaty's provisions recognize the prevention as a non discrimination instrument similar to our own americans with disabilities act. that fact didn't stop rick santorum from twisting the facts along the way. >> this is a direct assault on us and to our family to hand over to the state to make

medical determinations and see what is in the best interest of the child and not look at what the gift every child is. >> john kerry said this is one of the saddest days that i have seen in the 28 days i've been in the senate. today he addressed mr. santorum's claims. >> i have great respect rick and karen and their daughter and family. he is a strong family man. but, he either simply hasn't read the treaty or doesn't understand it or was not factual in what he said. the united nations has zero ability to order or to tell or to even, they can suggest but they have no legal capacity to

tell the united states to do anything under this treaty. nothing. >> tonight many disability advocate's rights say that the treaty trumps rights everywhere. he is the first quadrapalegic senator to serve in the house. you voted for this. why do you think it is so important? >> first of all, thank you for having me on the program. thank you for paying attention to this important issue. this is important for people here and for people around the world who don't yet enjoy the protections that people here enjoy in the united states. that law has transformed the lives of people with

disabilities and i can speak to that first hand. i was injured in 1980 and i became paralyzed after a gun accident. i know what the world was like both before and after the ada. it is remarkably different. it is a shame that the senate couldn't pass that act yesterday. but i want to thank them for their leadership. the bipartisan support of the 61 senators who did vote for it. some look at the ada for the americans with disabilities act. why do we need a treaty for the un? >> because we are in many ways endorsing the work of the un in trying to spread that message of equality and protection of the rights of people with

disabilities around the world. if we are not willing to join with other nations around the world who have supported this treaty. >> and for those who say this violates u.s. sovereignty. is that possible? i don't see how that is possible. not each possible. in fact, the senate, advice and consent made it clear, that it does not trump u.s. law. there is a u.s. supreme court decision in 2004 that said such statements by the senate are positi positive. it would give no statement to any one in u.s. courts and does not trump the constitution or

u.s. law. it is a standard that we want other nations to aspire to. we are setting the standard with the passage of the act. but it makes the treaty have -- making the rights of people with dgt disabilities more clear by giving us the same protections as others around the world. >> it is directed to other countries around the world. this are quite a few lawmakers, do you think that is part of what the opposition is about? >> i think there are some lawmakers and conservative elements of the republican party who have made a decision that any un treaty is not good for the united states.

that they don't want to see us signing onto a un treaty. they are using false arguments. to try to scare people or block endorsement or ratification of a streety of this nation. it is a shame that they are using the disabilities law as a way to block a treaty and hurt people if you will around the world that are disabilitied including people in war torn counp tri tries and now they arg to not be able to enjoy the same protection that is we enjoy around the united states. we heard from individuals here, war veterans who are concerned when they travel around the

world. they may not enjoy the same civil rights pro he teckses. we want others to follow our lead and pass an ada type law in their countries. how can we show leadership if we do not sign onto that? >> so many people work so hard to see that convention document quinn and approved. some of the disabilities rights advocates the heros in the movement here in the united states endorsed that treaty. and you have senator santorum or others who say this isn't going to be good for disabilitied people who are they? >> thank you for coming on tonight. we are looking at the facts here, they were just, they

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police announce an arrest in the deadly subway altercation. up next. the question. >> >>: you be able to do the same thing? . thomas sargent. nobel laureate in economics, and one of the most cited economists in the world. professor sargent, can you tell me what cd rates will be in two years? no. if he can't, no one can. that's why ally has a raise your rate cd. ally bank. your money needs an ally.

police in new york announcing an arrest in a crime that has shocked the country. man was arrested for shoving a man in front of a train. freelance photographer on the scene shot this cover showed the victim after it was too late to get out of the way. the photographer said he was trying to alert the train. another photograph shows the man on the tracks perhaps giving the man a chance to get help. john lindsey jumped onto the

tracks and rescued a man. what you did was amazing. there was a lot of krit sacriti the people on the platform. >> because they weren't there. i think, we do a lot of quarterbacking from the couch. we don't know what happened. that is a still shot. how do you know how far away he was? and you don't know what they are until they are tested. >> i found that in war zones. you don't know how they are going to react. >> some rise to the occasion. >> i'm a trained dancer and actor, when someone falls a catch them. he's a trained photographer. you do what your muscles are trained to do. it is not our job to judge his

action. >> you say the track is deeper than people think. >> it is deeper than it looks and there is the edge that has been cut away. there is nothing to brace against which i didn't know until i tried to press myself up out of there. it is dirty and slipery and greasy. >> you knew where the third rail is. >> i don't know where the third rail is. >> i'm a bit of a train guy. if you run to the end of the track, there are ladders which i guess i've scene. if you run away from the train, that there is a ladder at the end. although there are lots of things that can go wrong too. >> there is another photo of

when mr. hunt fell on the tracks. it seems like there may have been time to help. >> if that is the case we have something else. we need to decide as americans whether we are going to be in a moment or take a picture of it. and again, there were lots of people on that platform when i was in the same situation. and a lot of them ran in front of the station door. our culture is obsessed with proving whether he we were there. you raise the point there is this whole instant desire. rather to have a real experience or be in the moment, people want to document it and post it later. we have to go. appreciate you being with us. >> thank you so much.

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lots of protests continue outside the palace. the health ministry reports more than four deaths. some time the president is expected to address the nation. demonstrators are upset with his assumption of sweeping powers last month. two dejays got through to the private nurse after claiming to be the queen and prince charles.

>> so not only was it a total invasion of privacy, what was the poor nurse supposed to do? ask for prove that it wasn't she? >> i have to say it was the worst british accent i have ever heard. coming up. respected elder pushes for fiscal responsibility. that is next. to help those affected and to cover cleanup costs. today, the beaches and gulf are open, and many areas are reporting their best tourism seasons in years. and bp's also committed to america. we support nearly 250,000 jobs and invest more here than anywhere else. we're working to fuel america for generations to come. our commitment has never been stronger. i have a cold, and i took nyquil,

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world problems and getting on youtube so you can sing. >> normally, it probably means that it has jumped the shark. but i think the dancing can of soda is good. >> use those social media skills to sign people up. these old coots will clean out the treasury before you get there. the can kicks back. i think they are onto something with the video. i feel like anytime they say these old coots, it could be used in peace talks and coul